‘It’s deeply saddening’: the way 30 captive beluga whales are now bargaining chips in dispute over inhumane treatment.

The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. Orion – nicknamed “Onion Ring” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Zephyr has “constant motion” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “most affectionate” with a gentle spirit.

A group of thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a tussle between a defunct facility, public officials and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned debate over their destiny often overlooks the individual traits of the whales who, after spending their lives in confinement, have been thoroughly researched by the people who work with them regularly.

After the federal government disallowed the sale of the belugas to China, the controversial amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed threatened to euthanize them unless the authorities funds the expense of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has rejected that demand, placing the 30 whales in an increasingly precarious circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and communal behavior suggest they are highly cognitive creatures – something a former trainer learned directly.

Burgess spent three years as a whale caretaker, a job that required gaining confidence of the sea creatures.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of consistency and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very wary of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were exceptionally cognitive, but she says she was nonetheless astounded by the details and idiosyncrasies in their personalities. She formed a particular love for a pair of whales with different natures.

“One whale chose me. The other required effort,” she said. “They changed the way I understand connection.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Her relationship with the whales developed against a background of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, Kiska, succumbed. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the facility ascribes to natural mortality, but which campaigners say points to the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The facility did not open to the public over the recent season, but Burgess says she saw with her own eyes effects of the cessation. “Concrete is falling apart from the enclosures because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and move about with fragments in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The park did not comment to a questionnaire, but previously claimed: “The whales … receive far superior health care and around the clock supervision than any individual in the UK, or elsewhere.”

Uncertain Future and Proposed Solutions

The former employee was dismissed from the park in the spring following the passing of a beluga, an sick beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the facility believed details of the incident were leaked to the news outlets and she was let go soon after.

The uncertainty over the whales’ future has left Burgess and staff members in despair. She says the facility’s ultimatum to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” undertaking, adding any plans to euthanize even a single beluga would require “significant staff”, trucks and specialized tools.

“There’s no way in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess advocates for calls for the whales to be taken right away from the facility, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister rejected a request to transfer the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a perpetual life in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the official wrote. “As Canadians, we know that marine mammals are meant for the ocean, not in tanks for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience permit an export that would prolong the treatment these belugas have suffered.”

But Burgess said the minister’s statements reveal a wider misunderstanding of the facts of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The society needs to realize these are whales that have lived entirely in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the rest of their years,” she said. “Many just don’t comprehend that it’s not as simple as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Continuing Discussion

As authorities work to find a resolution, proposals have emerged, some of which have minimal feasibility. One proposal called for the belugas to be let go into the wilds of northern regions – where whales are a key source of sustenance for local populations.

A proposed refuge in the province of eastern Canada, which has received regulatory clearance, has shown to be highly debated. The planned site, which includes 100 acres of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain positive that it could ultimately represent a permanent resolution for a number of the whales.

But, Burgess says, among trainers she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “merely an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Others say the idea of a sanctuary reflects a changing attitudes away from captive facilities and could represent a workable plan in the near future.

The project lead, leader of the plan, said the location will mimic the mental engagement and feeding regimen the whales obtain from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is fully assessed, which could take months|an extended period|